The present disclosure relates to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus including this fixing device.
An image forming apparatus of an electrographic manner includes a fixing device fixing a toner image on a recording medium, such as a sheet.
For example, the fixing device includes an image forming part transferring a toner image from an image carrier to a recording medium and a fixing unit configured to include a heating roller fixing the toner image transferred on the recording medium and a separating claw. The fixing unit includes a separating claw moving mechanism moving the separating claw along a surface of the heating roller and separating the recording medium from the heating roller. The fixing unit includes a controlling part controlling the separating claw moving mechanism so that moving speed V2 of the separating claw when separating the recording medium is more than moving speed V1 of the separating claw until the following recording medium reaches the separating claw after separating the recording medium. Thereby, it is possible to execute separating operation of the recording medium as stabilizing contact condition of the separating claw with respect to the heating roller. As a result, wear of the surface of the heating roller is restrained.
However, in the above-mentioned fixing device, when separating the recording medium and after separating recording medium, the controlling part controls a special motor to change the moving speed of the separating claw. Therefore, it is necessary to install the special motor and others in order to move the separating claw, and then, there are a problem that manufacturing cost of the fixing device is increased and a problem that the fixing device is enlarged. Moreover, it is necessary to carry out complicated control in order to change the moving speed of the separating claw, and then, this becomes a factor increasing manufacturing cost of the fixing device.